Obama hits Congress for 'obstruction'

Apr. 10, 2014
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President Obama / BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, AFP/Getty Images

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

As President Obama prepared to discuss Lyndon Johnson and the Civil Rights Act on Thursday, he channeled his inner Harry Truman at a Democratic fundraiser Wednesday night.

Just as Truman blasted a "do-nothing Congress" during the 1948 presidential election, Obama told donors in Houston that congressional Republicans are obstructing his plans for immigration, the minimum wage and gender pay equity.

"You've got a Congress right now that is solely focused on obstruction because they think it's a good political strategy," Obama said.

As Democrats seek to keep control of the U.S. Senate in the November elections, Obama said his party must confront a "disconcerting thing. Obstruction may actually be a good political strategy if Democrats don't vote in the midterms."

Democrats have a "congenital disease" when it comes to midterm elections, the president said.

"Our voters are younger, more unmarried women, more African-American and Latino voters," Obama said. "They get excited about general elections; they don't get as excited about midterm elections."

Obama will travel to the Lyndon Johnson library in Austin to speak on the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.